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Film Analysis: Boys Don T Cry

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Film Analysis: Boys Don T Cry
New queer cinema

Boys Don’t Cry

Boys Don’t Cry is a movie examining the life of the late Teena Brandon. It is an intense movie that follows her journey to self-discovery and essentially her passing. Boys Don’t Cry not only explores how difficult it is to be queer but also what it means to have a sexual identity crisis (as Brandon puts it). Brandon goes through so much to cover his true identity and in the end nothing is enough. This adaptation of a true story engages and walks the watcher through the difficulties transgender people have in life. The opening scene of Boys Don’t Cry lets the audience know that Teena Brandon has now become Brandon Teena. Following the lines of New Queer Cinema this film gives the outside world a new way to look at transgender individuals. This film breaks new ground by
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Through out the movie we see Brandon searching for the perfect girl. His cousin, Lonnie, even says on the phone call back home from Falls City “no more girls” The romantic aspect of this film re-examines what romantic movies are really about. In this film Brandon is the apidemy of hot for a girl living in Nebraska. And even though Brandon has a secret no one cares because the way he talks and treats girls in interpreted as cute and loving so the lie doesn’t matter. When transforming from Teena to Brandon she/he chooses the sweetheart cowboy to be her male persona. With a cowboy hat and a little bit of a twang Brandon is able to sweep girls of their feet. Even with the first girl in the opening scene, Nicole, she points out that Brandon isn’t from around here and when asked where he is from she replies “somewhere beautiful.” Brandon’s boyish/girlish good looks and cowboy “I’m here to save you” charm wins everyone over. Enough so that his small physique and high voice gets left

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